PM Shehbaz Sharif asks SCO to address climate change issue

SAMARKAND: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Friday called for action against climate change that has caused cataclysmic floods in Pakistan.

“It’s time to act, act now,” PM Shehbaz Sharif said while addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Council of Heads of State (CHS).

The premier said climate catastrophe has devastated Pakistan, killed over 1400 and caused damages amounting to billions of dollars.

PM Shehbaz Sharif said he has never seen this kind of devastation in his political career. He also thanked the heads of the friendly states for extending a helping hand in these hard times.

The premier said his government is working hard for the revival of the flood affectees.

He stressed the dire need of assistance by the international community to help Pakistan overcome the problems in the wake of floods, including relief, rehabilitation and control of water-borne diseases.

In fight against terrorism, he said, thousands of Pakistani civilians and armed forces laid down their lives for the security of their homeland.

As the neighbouring country of Afghanistan, he said, Pakistan valued peace, progress and shared development of the country important for the region.

“We have to work together to support all good initiatives in Afghanistan for the good of the people of Afghanistan in areas, particularly education, health and human rights,” he said.

Sharif said it would be a “big mistake if we ignored Afghanistan.”

He emphasized that strengthening Afghanistan as vital in view the stability of the region besides achieving the goals of the SCO.